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Anybody Here Have Experience With Mack Amps Made In Canada?


crunchee

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Mack Amps used to be in business several years ago, based out of Toronto (Canada, natch), but I think they may have gone bust, and I can't find much info about the brand online.  Their website is no longer up, as far as I can tell.  I'm curious about their Skyraider SR-15 head amp, does anybody here know about them or about Mack Amps in general, or played through one?  TIA!  :)

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Is this the Mack SR-15 Skyraider amp head that you're talking about?

Mack SR-15 Skyraider amp head

I've never even seen before and I'm only familiar with Traynor amps. Has anyone on this forum ever owned or played one? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Guitar George

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1 hour ago, Hamer95USA said:

Is this the Mack SR-15 Skyraider amp head that you're talking about?

Mack SR-15 Skyraider amp head

I've never even seen before and I'm only familiar with Traynor amps. Has anyone on this forum ever owned or played one? 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Guitar George

That's the correct model, but not the same seller/listing.  I got mine at DGS' Madison store :rolleyes: with free shipping...arrives Monday (I hope):

https://davesguitar.com/products/mack/skyraider-sr-15-madison-608-405-8770/

What little word I could find online about Mack Amps is that they were doing online sales only, kinda like Avatar.  Avatar used to sell new amps on Reverb, but the only things that I see there now from them besides speaker cabs is a '22' model amp chassis mounted on a board that's been listed there for at least a year, IIRC...the Reverb listing says they have six of those still in stock.  The Avatar website appears to be just cabs and speakers nowadays, no more amps that I can tell.  Times must have gotten tough for amp builders, perhaps?

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  • 4 weeks later...

It's been about three weeks since I got my Mack SR-15 Skyraider, and I'm diggin' it!  It's LOUD for a cathode-biased amp with two 6V6 power tubes and two 12AX7 preamp tubes, and though the tube lineup is similar to a Fender Tweed Deluxe, it's a bit more refined than that soundwise.  The controls (or lack thereof) take a little getting used to, but according to the FAQs on the various versions of the Mack websites, Don Mackrill (the guy that ran Mack Amps) felt they weren't really needed, and I'm managing fine without those extra bells and whistles...besides, it's hard to be unhappy, considering the price that I bought it for.   It likes my Teles, and puts out really nice chime and twang; the amp's also very dynamic, almost too much so, depending on which gain profile (Hot, Burn, and Melt) is selected, how high the volume on the amp is cranked, and even what guitar is used.  I like it, it keeps me on my toes!  I only wish that the gain profile was footswitchable.

I never could find any reference to the specs of this model online, the website address (www.mackamps.com) only tells me that ''this site can't be reached' and that it 'refused to connect'.  Luckily the Internet 'Wayback Machine' website archived most (if not all) forms/examples of the Mack Amps website(s) starting from 2007 on through sometime this year (I think, if I'm reading it correctly).  Most of the internal 'links' of the Mack website(s) are still active/functional on the 'Wayback Machine' website, and it makes for interesting (and recommended) exploring and reading.  BTW, every year from the Mack website(s) is a little different, plus it shows off the full lineup of Mack amps and cabs from each particular year.

Here's the Skyraider SR-15 specs as listed on the Mack Amps website from 2016:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160827012201/http://www.mackamps.com/products/skyraider-sr-15.html

Excerpted here...notice there's two columns of info, plus more below that:

  • Parallel triode preamp: added gain, warmth and touch sensitivity

  • Power tube overdrive: lush crunch and distortion

  • Gain/bass boost switch: ‘voice’ the amp to your guitar by dialing in the best gain profile and bass response

  • Single tone control: treble boost and cut, minimizes gain loss compared to two or three knob tone controls

  • Dynamic response: max distortion to clean simply by rolling off your guitar volume

  • Pedal friendly: LOVES any kind of pedal!

  • Plug in any ohm (impedance) speaker cab without damaging the amp.  Find out how the Mack Skyraider SR-15 can use any ohm speaker cabinet.

  • Play at home, jamming with friends or gigs. Many customers and Mack Endorsing Artists gig with their Skyraiders. 15 watts may not seem like much, but the SR-15 is loud for its size!  How many watts do you really need?

  • Hand made in Canada

  • Hand stuffed and soldered components on an eyelet circuit board

  • 15 watts

  • 2 X 6V6 power tubes, cathode biased

  • 2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes

  • Hammond transformers

  • Solid state rectification with ‘sag’ circuitry

  • Volume, single treble boost/cut

  • Gain and bass boost switch, 3 position

  •  Hand made poplar cabinet with textured Duratex finish

  • 18 ½”W x 8 ½”H x 8 ½”D

  • 117/120 VAC, 60 Hz

  • 18 Lb

MACK SKYRAIDER SR-15 DESCRIPTION

We describe the Skyraider SR-15’s tone as ‘Fender meets Vox’.  Its cleans are warm and clear and its power tube overdrive is thick and lush - thanks to the JJ 6V6s.

Mack Amps use high quality components and are carefully hand wired and assembled.  The result is exceptional tone and tour proven quality.

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